Refrigeration



April 18, 1950 c. T. ASHBY ET AL 2,504,784

REFRIGERATION Filed Nov. 8, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 j INVENTOR5 Ajaril 18, 1950 c. T. ASHBY ETAL REFRIGERATION 3 sheets sheet 2 Filed NOV. 8, 1947 uvmvroRs ATTORNEY a 'r. ASHBY ETAL REFRIGERATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 8, 1947 W Y m INVENTORS Patented 18, 1950 STATES PATENT orFlcE REFRIGERATION Carl '1. Ashby and Charles A. Miller, Evansville, Ind., assignors to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y.,'

a corporation of Delaware manner that 'suflicient air to do a good refrigeratin'g job. pass: 'over' such-parts. If the space occupied by these heat rejecting parts be of no particular momentthat-is, if these parts may be spread out atiwiilh the problem of cooling them by ambient air is not diflicult. However, with domestic refrigerators conservation of space is always desirablei. Therefore the heat rejecting parts of such a refrigerator should be arranged in a minimum of space commensurate with efficient performance. Furthermore, the generator or vapor expeller of such a refrigerator should be so sized and positioned as not to interfere with the cooling of the. heat rejecting parts of the apparatus, while at the same time maintaining the efficiency of the apparatus.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a refrigerator operated by an air cooled absorption refrigerating apparatus wherein the space occupied by such apparatus is reduced to a minimum without adversely affecting the efficiency of the'a'pparatus.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. l is an expanded or schematic viewof a refrigeration apparatus incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view, showing the apparatus of Fig. 1 assembled.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2-; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed rear elevational view, partly in vertical section, of the generator assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2-.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, for purpose of illustration, I have incorporated my invention in an absorption refrigerating system of the uniform pressure type, which system invabsorbent solution wherein ammonia is the refrigerant and water is the absorption medium,

' thereof.

Application November 8, 1947, Serial N 0. 784,896

and wherein hydrogen is the inert pressureequalizing gas.

The generator Ill includes a strong solution or pump chamber l8, a weak solution chamber l9 and a flue 20, which flue passes through the pump chamber and the weak solution chamber. Suitable means, such as a gas burner 2|, is provided for heating the flue 26. An outwardly and upwardly projecting spout 22 is connected to the upper part of the weak solution chamber l9. A riser or vapor-lift pump 23 leads from the upper 'part of pump chamber l8: and is connected to the upper end of spout 22' above the uppermost part of the weak solution chamber [9. Spout 22 is connected by a conduit 24 which leads from the upper part of the spout to the lower portion of the analyzer l1, and the upper portion .conduit 25. A drain conduit 26, having an enlarged portion 21 and a reduced portion 28, connects the outlet of the condenser H to one end of a low-temperature section l3 of the evaporator 13. The opposite end of evaporator section I3 is connected by a drain conduit l3 to a hightemperature section 13 of the evaporator.

Weak solution chamber l9 of the generator is connected by a conduit 29, an inner passage 30 of liquid heat exchanger l6, and a conduit 3| to the uppermost section l5 of the absorber. A conduit 32 connects the outlet end of section l5 of the absorber to the next lower section I5 The lower portion of the absorber is connected by an absorber vessel 33, a conduit 34, an outer passage 35 of the liquid heat exchanger, a conduit 36, analyzer I l, and a conduit 31 to pump chamber it of the generator.

The upper part of the absorber is connected by a conduit 38, an outer passage 39 of the gas heat exchanger, and a conduit 4|! to the inert gas inlet end of section I 3* of the evaporator. The inert gas outlet end of evaporator section l3 is connected by a conduit 4| to the inert gas inlet end of evaporator section l3, and the outlet end of this evaporatorsection is connected by a conduit 42, an inner passage 43 of the gas heat exchanger, a conduit 44, and absorber vessel 33 to the lower end of the absorber. As shown in Fig. 1, the horizontal portion of conduit 28 is placed in heat exchange relation with the horizontal portion of conduit 42, whereby liquid refrigerant flowing from the condenser to the evaporator is precooled by the cold gas flowing from the evaporator toward the absorber. Pressure vessel I2 is connected at its upper end to conduit 21 by a conduit 45, and at its lower end the pressure vessel is connected by a conduit 46 to the conduit 44 leading to the absorber vessel.

v the condenser and functions as a rectifier.

As shown,particularly in Fig. 4, the generator pump chamber I8 is arranged slightly off-center with respect to the generator flue 20, and the lower portion of weak solution chamber l9 projects into the upper portion of the pump chamber. With this arrangement a vapor space is provided in the upper portion of the pump chamber in a manner that ample space is afforded forlocating the lower portion of vapor-lift pump 23 within the upper portion of the pump chamber and in a manner that the vapor space of the, pump chamber is never directly exposed to the hot surface of flue 20. The liquid heat exchanger 1 l6, which includes concentric conduits 30 and 35, is wrappedconcentrically around the pump chamber as a helical coil, .the convolutions of which coil 'are substantially horizontal. The analyzer I1, which is substantially horizontal and U-shaped in horizontal section, is placed in spaced "relation around the weak solution chamber I9.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, in accordance with my invention, the low and high temperature sections of the evaporator are mounted within a refrigerator cabinet indicated .generally by reference character 50, the absorber, L

condenser and rectifier are arranged within a vertical flue 5| at the rear of the cabinet, and the generator assembly is mounted at the rear of the cabinet exteriorly of the vertical flue. Flue 5| includes a pair of side rails 52 and 53 each of which consists of an outwardly facing channel member. As viewed in Fig. 2, that is looking at the rear of the apparatus, the side rail 52 is substantially straight, whereas side rail 53 is provided with two offset portions 53 and 53'. In this manner the flue 5| is formed with three widths, a relatively narrow lower portion 5|, an intermediate portion of intermediate width 5| and an upper wide portion 5|. 'In viewing the apparatus from the side, as in Fig. 3, each of th side rails is provided with an offset portion at the rear thereof, only the oflfset portion 52' of side rail 52 appears in Fig. 3. In this manner the lower and intermediate portions of the flue are deeper than the." upper portion thereof. vAs shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the generator assembly I is encased in an insulation box 54 and is so shaped that it flts partly within the offset portions of the side rail 53 exteriorly of theflue intermediate portion 5| of the vertical flue, pro-1 jects through openings in the side rail 52, whereby the left hand side of the absorber, asviewed iii-Fig. '2, is supported by the side rail 52, while, the right hand portion of the absorber is welded to a supporting plate 55, which supporting plate is welded to or otherwise secured to the side rail 53.

The condenser H is located in the upper or wide portion of the vertical flue and is attached as by welding to each of the side rails 52 and 53. The conduit which connects the generator assembly III with the condenser is located within the flanges of side rail 53 exteriorly of the vertical flue, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper inclined portion, 25*, of conduit 25 is located above The gas heat exchanger I4 is provided with an insulation box 56 and is located in a vertical position within the upper portion, 5|, of the vertical flue. Pressure vessel [2 is located outside of the vertical flue and 'is supported in any suitable manner upon side rail 52. The absorber vessel 33 is located within an opening in the side rail 52 The absorber |5, which is located within the on the rear of the side rails and extends from the upper portion of the absorber to the top of the refrigerator, thereby closing the flue 5| above the absorber, the lower portion of the flue being open at both the front and rear. This rear panel 58 is shown only in Fig. 3. A channel member 59 is aflixed to lower front portions of the side rails for attaching the apparatus to the lower portion of the cabinet. A reenforcing. angle member 60 connects the lower portions of the side rails 52 and 53.

From the above it is seen that our improved manner of locating and mounting the refrigerating apparatus at the rear ofthe cabinet provides a compact arrangement whereby available space is used to the best advantage. The heat rejecting parts of the apparatus, that is the absorber, condenser and rectifier are located in the vertical flue in a manner that provides an efllcient transfer of heat from these elements to cooling air passing up the flue. The generator assembly, that is, the generator proper, the liquid heat exchanger, the analyzer and connecting conduits are so arranged and shaped as to occupy a minimum of space at the rear of the cabinet outside of' the vertical flue, so as not to interfere with the flow of cooling air upward through the flue.

operation, with heat applied to the generator flue 20 by burner 2|, refrigerant vapor is expelled from solution in pump chamber is, which vapor lifts absorption solution through vapor-lift 23 into the upper portion of spout 22 from whence the absorption solution flows into weak solution chamber l3 wherein additional heat is applied to the solution in this chamber and additional refrigerant vapor a expelled therefrom. The refrigerant vapor from vapor-lift 23. and from weak soiutio'n chamber l9 flows from the upper portion of spout 22 through conduit 24 into and through the analyzer in counterflow relation with strong absorption solution, which solution flows through conduit 36 into the oppo- .zontal portion of conduit 28, the liquid refrigerant is precooled by transfer of heat therefrom to cold rich gas passing through the horizontal portion of conduit 42. Inert gas weak in refrigerant flows through conduit 40 into the gas inlet end of section l3 of the evaporator, wherein the liquid refrigerant evaporates and diffuses into the inert gas producing the desired refrigerating effect in the low-temperature section of the evaporator. The partially enriched inert gas flows from section Iii" of the evaporator through'conduit 4| into high-temperature section |3 of tlie evaporator, wherein this inert gas flows concurrently with liquid refrigerant that flows through drain l3 into the high-temperature section, whereby a refrigerating effect is produced in this section of the evaporator.

The rich mixture of inert gas and refrigerant vapor flows from the high-temperature section of the evaporator through conduit 42, inner passage 43 of the gas heat exchanger, conduit 44, and absorber vessel 33 into the lower portion of the absorber. Absorption solution weak in refrigerant is conveyed by conduit 3| into the upper section, l5, of the absorber wherein the absorption solution flows downward toward conduit 38 tending to push the inert gas toward said conduit, thereby initiating and maintaining the flow of inert gas in the proper direction in the inert gas circuit. Absorption solution flows from section l5 of the absorber through conduit 32 into section l5 thereof, from whence the absorption solution flows downward through the remainder of the absorber in counterflow relation to the upward-flowing mixture of inert gas and refrigerant vapor, whereby the refrigerant vapor is absorbed in the absorption solution. The inert gas stripped of refrigerant vapor flows from the upper part of the absorber through conduit 38. outer passage 39 of the gas heat exchanger, and conduit 40 back to the low-temperature section of the evaporator. The heat generated by the absorption of refrigerant vapor into absorption liquid in the absorber is given up to cooling air passing upward in the vertical flue over the absorber.

The absorption solution enriched in refrigerant vapor flows from the lower portion of the absorber into absorber vessel 33, and from there the enriched absorption solution flows through conduit 34, outer passage 35 of the liquid heat exchanger, and conduit 36 into the upper part of the analyzer I1. In the analyzer, the enriched absorption solution flows in counter-current relation to refrigerant vapor en route to the condenser. From the analyzer, the rich absorption solution flows through conduit 31 into the lower portion of pump chamber I8, wherein refrigerant vapor is expelled from solution and the absorption solution is lifted through riser 23 into spout 22 by vapor-lift action, as explained above. Weak absorption solution flows from the lower portion of weak solution chamber l9 through conduit 29, inner passage 30 of the liquid heat exchanger, and conduit 3| back to the upper portion of the absorber.

Having thus described our invention, we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction illustrated and described, for obvious modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An absorption refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having a food storage compartment and an apparatus compartment including a vertical flue at the rear of the cabinet, and a refrigerating system for cooling the food storage compartment, said refrigerating system including a generator assembly, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber and conduits interconnecting said elements for flow of working media therethrough. said vertical flue including a Pair of side rails arranged in horizontal spaced relation across the rear of the cabinet, one of which side rails is substantially straight as viewed from the rear thereof, the other of which side rails is formed with a plurality of offsets therein, the construction and arrangement being such that the vertical flue is relatively narrow at the lower portion the offset .portion thereof fitting into an offset 4 portion of said other side rail. A

3. A refrigerating apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the absorber includes a plurality of coils located within the vertical flue in the intermediate portion thereof.

4. An absorption refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the condenser includes a plurality of coils located in the upper portion of the flue.

5. A refrigerating apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of the side rails, when viewed from the side thereof, is provided with an offset portion intermediate its height at the rear thereof, whereby the relatively narrow and intermediate portions of the vertical flue are deeper than the upper wide portion thereof.

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having a food storage compartment and an apparatus compartment including a, vertical flue at the rear of the cabinet, and a refrigerating system for cooling said food storage compartment. said refrigerating system including a generator assembly, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber and conduits interconnecting said elements for flow of working media therethrough, said vertical flue including a relatively narrow lowerportion, an intermediate portion of intermediate width and an upper wide portion, said generator assembly including a relatively wide lower portion located exteriorly of the vertical .flue at one side thereof immediately adjacent the narrow portion thereof and an upper portion of less width located exteriorly of the flue immediately adjacent the intermediate portion thereof, said absorber including a. plurality of coils extending from one side to the other side of the flue in the intermediate portion thereof, and said condenser including a plurality of coils extending from one side to the other side of the flue in the upper wide portion thereof.

7. A refrigerating apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the wide lower portion of the generator assembly includes a pump chamber with a liquid heat exchanger coiled thereabout,-a weak solution chamber above said pump chamber and an analyzer coiled about at least a portion of said weak solution chamber.

CARL T. ASHBY. CHARLES A. MILLER.

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,037,782 Hainsworth Apr. 21, 1936 2,350,249 Osborn May 30, 1944 

